O Sole Mio – 3 versions

One thing I have learned about O Sole Mio, for a great performance there has to be chemistry between the male and female singers. In this first example, Amira sings with Paul Potts and James Bhemgee. While Amira felt very comfortable with Paul Potts, and they had a kidding around relationship, it is still a bit stiff.



In this next one, Dutch opera singer Ben Heijnen starts a competition with Amira, to see who can sustain a note longest. Amira, always the good sport, goes along. The audience loves it.

But the all time by miles and miles favorite version of O Sole Mio by Amira is with Italian heartthrob Patrizio Buanne in the 2016 Classics is Groot concert in Pretori, South Africa.



This video has 29 million views at last count. In fact, this rendition of O Sole Mio was so popular that Amira and Patrizio found themselves virtually having to take it on the road. That's the power of undeniable chemistry.

Now when I say Patrizio and Amira had 'chemistry' I mean this in the most innocent sense, as a true admiration for each other and a natural comedic partnership. Amira was only 12 years old at the time. We can see this made more clear a couple years later when they appeared together again, sort of like a reunion on stage, to perform Amigos Para Siempre (Friends Forever).



Still that same beautiful innocence in Amira that makes their duo so lovable. The fox and the damsel.

A couple notes.  James Bhemgee, who appears with Amira and Paul Potts in the first video above was later charged with rape, and his career was ruined. Notice Amira seems to ignore him, as if she senses not all is right with him, and she pivots to Paul, who was like a second father to her in her earliest days of touring.

Also, the second concert I listed above, with Amira and Ben Heijnen singing "O Sole Mio," is actually better than it looks from the one minute clip of it. The full version of that song has over 7 million views, as it is very entertaining. It can be found here. It's worth watching. Ben Heijnen is an internationally known opera singer. However, their chemistry is terrible. Amira seems visibly uncomfortable with Ben, and even looks away from him at one point. Contrast their admixture with her enormous comfort with equally famous South African opera singer Sunnyboy Dladla, who she clearly likes. In rehearsal recordings with him she has some of the biggest smiles of her career on stage. I'll save their duets and their natural chemistry for my next post.